


53 Steps

by sincerelycreigh



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Domestic Violence, F/M, Incognito, Mystery, On the Run, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, missing money
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 12:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8624647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sincerelycreigh/pseuds/sincerelycreigh
Summary: When her violent ex-husband escapes prison, Hallie Spears will do everything it takes to protect her daughter. Even if that means going into hiding on Five-O's orders. When things begin to unravel and the danger heightens can she trust the Five-O to protect her.





	

**_\- Step 1: Resurface_ **

_Threading her hands along the surfboard's smooth fiberglass coating, Hallie Spears inhaled as she surfaced. Pushing the board through the shallow depths, she smiled as innocent laughter graced her ears. Water lapped along her skin, relieving overworked muscles._

_The sound of rushing waves a distance away ebbed along the nearly empty stretch of beach as she stroked her hands through the water, guiding the board towards shore. Contentment flowed over her shoulders and settled like the rays of sunlight dwindling on the horizon. This sweet peace was nothing she'd ever known, a peace she never wanted to end._

_"Mommy, mommy, mommy." Her daughter's babbling's broke through the serene sea air. Smiling down, her heart swelled at the sight of her daughter, hands clutching the board, pure delight reflecting in her expressive brown eyes._

_Pushing back damp locks of dark hair, Hallie kissed the side of her soft forehead. "Are you having fun?"_

_Nodding enthusiastically, the little girl raised her hands in the air, howling. "Again, again!"_

_Guiding the board in a different direction, Hallie spun her around once more._

_Was it possible to feel this carefree? The thought halted her motions as she drew the board along the currents. Tears of relief stung the corners of her eyes, blurred her vision. She shook her head, blaming the sudden rush of emotions on the saltwater clogging her nose. This was no place for tears._

_Treading as she reached the shallow water, she glanced toward the nearing shore, noticed the outline of a man siting in the sand. Her heart jumped as she swallowed sharply. How long had he been watching them? A pang of worry caused her stomach to cramp._

_Squinting, she tried to make out the figure's features, but couldn't piece together a description. Who was he?_

_She felt the grainy sand collect on the soles of her feet as the board hit the water's edge, ending the game of ring around the waves she'd played for the last half hour._

_Wiping the wet strands of hair from her forehead, Hallie reached out a hand. "Alright, Katie, it's time to get off. You need a bath and Mommy needs a shower before bed time."_

_The man sitting on the sand was enough to unnerve her. She hadn't noticed him before, but she could feel his eyes burning a hole through her backside. Not chancing a glance toward him, she focused all her attention on stabilizing the shifting board as the swells lapped around her feet._

_"I don't wanna shower." Katie pouted, crossing her arms, unwilling to slide off the board. Sadness crept into the creases of Hallie's smile._

_She understood her daughter's reluctance all too well, as if the world would end and she'd never get another chance to feel the water beneath her fingertips again._

_There were never enough words to reassure her, never enough words to reassure Halie, herself. To restore the balance in their lives, to repair the sanity that had been stolen from them. She vowed to never return to a life of fear, no matter how far they had to run. Her thoughts shifted to the man again._

_Even if that meant running another thousand miles._

_Inhaling steadily, she leveled her face with Katie's. "I promise, if I'm not too tired tomorrow we'll go swimming again." Anything to get her off the board and them off this beach. She couldn't very well keep her promise if Katie didn't cooperate._

_Lifting her daughter with one arm, Hallie held the board with the other through Katie's cries of objection. Shaking her head as Katie's signature six-year-old pout remained in place even as she set her down in the sand, she hefted the surfboard over her shoulder._

_The minivan was parked in the lot a few feet from the local outlets, all they had to do was thread their way through the throngs of tourists and avoid the man on the beach. Halie sought the best route, finding no way to avoid him. If they left now though, maybe they'd lose him among the shoppers' hustle and bustle._

_Reaching for her daughter's hand, only to come in contact with air, Hallie glanced down. Katie knelt down to retrieve a seashell tucked in the sand, a motion that stalled them a moment as she admired the intricate brown and white pattern criss-crossing the shell. Hallie silently willed for her full attention, trying to remain calm amid the danger that lurked only a few feet away._

_"Come on, honey." Flailing her fingertips, Katie grasped her mother's hand hesitantly._

_A menacing shadow enveloped them before they were able to take a step, absorbing the sunlight that filtered over the outer buildings along the shoreline. Halie swallowed sharply, nearly lost her grip on the surfboard sawing into her weakening shoulder._

_Turning her head slightly, she took in the broad shoulders and tall physique that towered over her five foot five inch frame, grimacing when the sudden light glinted off his sunglasses. When her vision finally focused, she noted the slight outline of the gun tucked into his waistband. Her breathing stopped._

_He loomed like a threat, turning her blood cold. Tremors shook her body as water droplets pelted her neck, rolled down her back. A sudden sense of vulnerability crept up her spine, revealing how defenseless she truly was. Tourists exiting the expensive shops seemed completely oblivious to the man who'd approached them._

_Hallie weighed her options. All the man would have to do is threaten to hurt Katie, and she would follow his every command. Whatever he wanted from them wasn't worth the risk of him harming her daughter._

_Tightening her hold on Katie's empty hand, she watched as the man crouched and removed his sunglasses. "Hey, Kaitlynn." he started, "Do you remember me?"_

_Swallowing sharply, Hallie held her breath as she turned confused eyes towards Katie. Why would he ask her a question like that?_

_Katie nodded, shyly ducked her head._

_"And who am I?" he inquired softly._

_"You're Commander Steve McGarret." Came the innocent reply._

_"That's right." He said, stealing the seashell from Katie's hands with a playful wink._

_Hallie eyed the man, his body language seemed nonthreatening, but she remained wary. The tattoos partly visible under his shirt sleeve did nothing to alleviate her measure of distrust._

_Taking a protective stance, Hallie shifted her weight to one side, shielding her daughter. "I'm sorry. But how do you know my daughter?"_

_Still crouched, he looked up at her, his sunglasses perched on his head. "I had the privilege of signing up for safety day at her elementary school a few weeks ago. I talked about stranger danger, nothing too extensive. I also had the pleasure of meeting your daughter. She's very smart."_

_He stood, rising to his full height again. His biceps flexed as he shifted his shoulders. "But that's not the reason why I'm here."_

_Hallie braced herself, inwardly cursing. No, no. Please, no._

_"Your ex-husband is out of prison Ms. Spears, and the Five-0 are looking for him."_

_Blood rushed to her ears, causing his voice to sound muffled, faint. Placing a hand to her pounding head, Hallie fought off a wave of nausea, at the same time a sob tore from her throat._

_Reaching out for the surfboard that toppled from her shoulder, he caught it easily and placed it underneath his arm. Grasping her forearm, he pulled her forward into his embrace._

_Caught off guard she inhaled sharply, her hands shaking as they found a resting place on his chest._

_"There's a man watching us near the entrance of one of the stores. Bald head, blue shirt." he whispered against her temple._

_Nonchalantly glancing over his shoulder, she located the man he described standing a distance away talking on the phone while smoking a cigarette, occasionally passing a glance their way._

_"What do you plan to do?" she asked, her voice shaking._

_"I'm going to get you out of here."_


End file.
